Ore-leaching apparatus.



PATENTED DEC; 13, 1904.

W. S. JONES.

ORE LEAGHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1902.

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No. 777.379. PATENTED DEC. 18, 1904. W- S. JONES.

ORE LEAGHING APPARATUS AYPLIGATION FILED JUNE 6, 1902.

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UNITED STATES Patented December 13, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ORE-LEAfll-IING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,379, dated December 13, 1904.

Application filed June 6,1902. Serial No. 110,465- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM STRIOKLER JONES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greensburg, in the county of Nestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Ore- Leaching Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in the apparatus for use in leaching ores and for similar operations, and is especially applicable to the cyanid process of extracting gold or silver, although the invention will be found useful in other leaching processes, and is particularly advantageous in agitating slimes a, the very line part of the ore obtained in crushing; and the invention consists in the novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a tank with a portion of the cloth removed, showing the framework on the bottom, the compartments, &c. Fig. 2isa section onabout line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional perspective view of a portion of the tank, and Fig. i illustrates in detail the means for supporting the canvas or cloth top.

In the cyanid process the ore is treated in suitable tanks, on the bottom of which is supplied abed of gravel, sand, or a wooden framework, over which is stretched a canvas to form a support for the pulp or ground ore which is placed in the tank on its cloth, the potassium cyanid solution being run in and allowed to percolate the mass. The time required for this percolation varies, according to the nature of the ore, the amount of slimes, &c., from three to ten or even fifteen days. Sometimes the extraction is incomplete and frequently it is a failure because of the incompleteness of the percolation. Again, there is provided the so called pneumatic cyanid process, in which a number of pipes are introduced at the bottom of the tank and perforated with small holes, through which air is forced, thus slightly agitating the pulp and allowing the liquor to percolate the mass, at the same time supplying the oxygen which aids in the extraction, thus reducing the time required and increasing the percentage of extraction.

My invention seeks to improve the pneumatic apparatus by dividing the bottom of the tank into sections, which are separate and airtight from each other laterally, and introducing the air to each compartment independently, the air admitted to each compartment being controlled independently of that discharged to the other compartment. In doing this the tank is provided on its bottom with a series of partitions A, which divide it into compartments B, the top of each compartment being supplied with a screen 0, through which the air may be forced, and with a cloth cover 1), such as canvas, on the top of said screen, such cloth covering forming a support for the pulp, ground ore, etc.

As best shown in Fig. 4-, the screen may be in the form of a grating of wood oriron, one for each compartment, and the screen of each compartment being supported on shoulders A, provided by securing cleats to the partitions, as best shown in Fig. 4:. This construction is a simple one, whereby to provide the means through which the air may be forced and to so form the screens as to permit their convenient removal and application whenever desired.

By the described construction the bottom of the tank is divided into a number of airtight compartmants, and (Jlischarge-pipes E are provided, one for each compartment, each pipe E having an independent valve E and the several pipes E corinecting with a main pipe F, which is connected by a supply-pipe G with the air-tank H, to which air may be supplied from any suitable form of blower through a pipe I, the tank l-l: having an outlet-pipe J, controlled by the valve J, such tank H being arranged below the main 1eaching-tank, as shown in Fig. 2. As best shown in Fig. 1, the compartments B are arranged in a series of rows, the several rows extending parallel to each other and across the bottom of the tank, the discharge-pipes E being arranged in groups, one group for each row of compartments, as shown in Fig. 1, and for convenience in manipulating the valves in securing the desired discharge of air to the different compartments.

In operation the tank H operates both as receiver for the air as it comes from the compressor during the agitating operation and as a receptacle for the leaching solution in withdrawing such solution from the leachingtank. As shown, the cloth or canvas cover is put down on the screens and secured by a strip K, as shown in Fig. 3, or, if desired, canvas may be put on the compartments separately, as indicated at L in Fig. 4.

In the original cyanid process there is an incomplete percolation and a long and incomplete extraction. In the pneumatic cyanid process wherein the agitation is effected by means of pipes extending across the bottom of the tank the part of the mass immediately over the pipes only is agitated and then not evenly, as the pressure is greatest at the point where the pipes enter the tank and diminishes toward the ends of the pipes, and as is demonstrated in the use of my apparatus that part of the pulp six inches and sometimes less away from the pipe is not affected. So the slimes and sand separate and pile up in heaps over the tank, and it is impracticable, in fact almost impossible, to get an even agitation, (even by putting in more pipes, for instance,) and a good or satisfactory extraction cannot be obtained. By my apparatus the air passes into the compartments and up through the cloth evenly in finely-divided bubbles. The agitation may be regulated in any part of the tank, and by regulating the pressure with the independent valves the agitation can be made quite even over the entire surface of the tank. The ore over any one compartment may be agitated without moving the surrounding ore, and by regulating the agitation the ore-bed may be kept quite level and at an even depth, and the sands and slimes will not separate in piles, but will form with the coarser sand on the bottom and the finer sand above, with the slimes on top evenly distributed, thus making an ideal bed for percolation, as well as an ideal filter in drawing off the solution. So long as the pressure is kept on the liquor will not pass down through the cloth; but by creating a vacuum in the tank H and properly operating the valves E a good filtration and discharge of the solution to the tank H can be secured.

By my invention, therefore, I provide the improved apparatus for agitating and filtering evenly any and all parts of the mass of pulp and for agitating, filtering, or allowing to remain quiet the pulp in any or every section of the mass independent of any or every other section. Also for introducing air, steam, water, or other liquids or gases evenly or independently to any or all parts of the mass of pulp. At the same time I reduce the time necessary for the operation and increase the product at a reduced cost, and by the reduction of the time and consumption of cyanid ores containing a small percentage of copper, for instance, which otherwise could not be treated profitably with cyanid, can be satisfactorily worked.

A gate or door, one or several, may be provided in the bottom of the tank to permit the removal of the tailings after leaching.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A leaching-tank having its bottom divided into a series of independent compartments combined with pipes discharging independently to and leading independently from each of the said compartments, the pipes connected to each compartment being each connected with a common supply and each provided with its own independent valve, substantially as set forth.

2. A tank divided into a series of independent compartments combined with the air-discharge pipes discharging to their respective compartments, and means for controlling the said pipes independently, substantially as set forth.

3. A tank divided into a series of independent compartments arranged in rows extending across the bottom of the tank, and pipes arranged in sets corresponding to the several rows and the pipes of each set discharging independently to the respective compartments of the corresponding row, substantially as set forth.

4. A tank having its bottom divided into a series of independent compartments and pipes discharging to such compartments whereby air may be supplied independently to the several compartments, the pipes connected to each compartment being each connected with a common supply and each provided with its own independent valve, substantially as set forth.

5. A stationary leaching-tank having its bottom divided into a series of compartments combined with the discharge-pipes discharging separately to their respective compartments, a pipe with which said discharge-pipes connect, and means for supplying air under pressure to said pipes, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the tank, the partitions dividing the bottom of the tank into a series of compartments, the screens at the tops of said compartments, the cloth covering over said screens and forming a support for the ore, independent pipes leading to said compartments and means for controlling the fiaidlpipes independently, substantially as set ort 1.

7. The combination of a tank, having its bottom divided into a series of compartments, the discharge pipes discharging independently to their respective compartments and provided with independent valves, the air-receiving tank connected with said dischargepipes and arranged below the first tank whereby the liquor therein may be discharged into the second tank, and means whereby air may be supplied to the second tank and the contents thereof discharged, substantially as set forth.

8. A tank having its ore-supporting surface divided into a series of independent compartments and provided with separate pipes discharging each to one of the said compartments and means for controlling said pipes independently.

9. The combination of a tank, the partitions dividing the bottom of the tank into a series of independent compartments and provided with the upwardly-facing shoulders for supporting the screens, the screens on the said shoulders, and pipes connected to each corn partment and being each connected With a common supply and each provided With its oWn independent valve, substantially as set forth.

10. A leaching-tank having its bottom divided into a series of independent compartments arranged in sets and pipes arrangedin sets corresponding to the several sets of compartments and the pipes of each set discharging independently to and leading independently from the respective compartments of the corresponding set, substantially as set forth.

11. A leaching-tank having its bottom divided into a series of independent compart ments, and provided With independent pipes leading to the said compartments, whereby air may be supplied to or exhausted from the several compartments independently, substantially as set forth.

12. A leaching-tank having its bottom divided into a series of independent compartments combined With the discharge-pipes discharging separately to their respective compartments,means for controlling the said pipes independently, and a pipe with which said discharge-pipes connect for supplying air under pressure to said pipes, substantially as set forth.

13. A leaching-tank having its bottom divided into a series of independent compartments, combined with pipes leading separately from their respective compartments, means for controlling the said pipes independently, and a pipe with which said pipes connect for exhausting the air from the several compartments through the several pipes, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination of the leaching-tank,

ing its bottom divided into a series of independent compartments, the pipes discharging independently to and leading independently from their respective compartments, and provided with independent valves, the tank connected with said pipes and arranged below the first tank so that the liquor in the latter may be discharged into the lower tank, and means whereby air may be admitted to the lower tank, and the contents thereof discharged, substantially as set forth.

16. The combination of a leacl1ing-tank,having its bottom divided into a series of independent compartments, upon which the oresupporting surface rests, each compartment being provided With a separate pipe discharging into and leading from said compartment, the pipes connected to each compartment being each connected with a common supply and each provided with its own independent valve, substantially as set forth.

17 The combination of a leaching-tank,l1aving its bottom divided into a series of inclependent compartments, independent pipes discharging into and leading from the said several compartments, means for controlling said pipes independently, one or more pipes or tanks with which said pipes connect, means whereby air under pressure may be supplied to any or all of said pipes and compartments, and may be exhausted from any or all of said. compartments through said pipes, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM STRIUKLER JONES Witnesses:

S. E. Wool), W. C. FIFE. 

